The Ashes Urn returns to Australia, with the visitors unable to keep their promise and losing the series before Christmas. Now, England’s focus is on saving dignity and avoiding a whitewash as the 4th Test takes place at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 26th December.
After an exciting contest in Adelaide, England will look to move past the defeat and improve their weaknesses. Steve Smith will once again lead Australia as Pat Cummins has been rested for the remainder of the series, while Nathan Lyon is rested due to a hamstring injury in a previous match. Jhye Richardson and Todd Murphy come in as replacements as Australia make two changes for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
AUS vs ENG 4th Test Ashes Match Preview
The last time England won a test match at the MCG was in 2010, where they won the match by an innings. After that, there is no luck for them. They will surely look forward to ending the drought by winning the first test match of the series at this batting-friendly and historic venue MCG.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | Australia vs England 4th Test |
| Date | 26 December 2025 |
| Time | 5:00 AM IST |
| Venue | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| Tournament | The Ashes |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch type | Hard and even, traditionally good for batting |
| Average score | Average 1st innings score 307Average 2nd innings score 314Average 3rd innings score 251Average 4th innings score 171 |
| Favors | Batters |
| Surface | Flat surface with early bounce. |
| Toss factor | Teams Batting first have won more matches |
Weather Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 25–26 °C |
| Humidity | 60–90% fairly high humidity |
| Wind speed | 10-20 KM/H |
| Rain Chance | There is a 30% chance of moderate rain |
| Dew factor | Early morning dew will be seen, and dew in the evening when there will be stumps. |
Toss Prediction
At the MCG, teams batting first in Tests have historically won around 49% of matches, while teams batting second win 36%, showing a clear advantage for batting first. The average first-innings score here is about 307, and teams that win the toss have historically won 45% of matches, suggesting the toss can influence the outcome. Considering these stats and the venue’s batting-friendly nature, teams are likely to win the toss and bat first in the 4th Ashes Test.
Injury Updates
Pat Cummins will take a rest in this match, and Nathan Lyon is unavailable due to his recent hamstring injury in the previous match. Jye Richardson and Todd Murphy are set to replace them in the squad. Steve Smith will be the captain of the Australian side.
AUS vs ENG Probable XI For The 4th Test
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.
Dream11 Team For AUS vs ENG 4th Test
AUS vs ENG Head-to-Head At MCG
At the MCG in Ashes Test history, Australia and England have played 53 Tests — Australia have won 27, England 19, and 7 have been drawn. Australia also hasn’t lost a Boxing Day Test there since 2010 and has won its last three MCG Tests against England (two wins and one draw), showing strong dominance at this ground.
Last 5 Tests Australia vs England
- 4 Dec 2025: Australia beat England by 8 wickets — Adelaide Oval
- 21 Nov 2025: Australia beat England by 8 wickets — Perth Stadium (Optus Stadium)
- 17 Dec 2025: Australia beat England by 82 runs — The Gabba, Brisbane
- 27 Jul 2023: England beat Australia by 49 runs — Old Trafford, Manchester
- 19 Jul 2023: England drew with Australia — Lord’s, London
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Travis Head | 379 runs in the series, 2 centuries; strong record at MCG with a century vs England (2021). |
| Steve Smith | 103 runs this series; 3,520 Ashes runs, 12 centuries, 4 Test hundreds at MCG. |
| Mitchell Starc | 22 wickets in the series; 115+ Ashes wickets, effective with the new ball at MCG. |
| Joe Root | 219 runs this series (England’s top scorer); 2,589 Ashes runs, MCG century in 2017. |
| Ben Stokes | 165 runs +9 wickets this series; 1,639 Ashes runs, all-round impact but modest MCG returns so far. |
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